-0.49(-2.72%)

-0.0050(-0.44%)

WASHINGTON , May 22, 2020 /CNW/ -- Today, the U.S. Lumber Coalition issued the following statement regarding the decision issued by a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) panel affirming the U.S. International Trade Commission's (ITC) findings.

"The U.S. Lumber Coalition is very pleased with the decision of the NAFTA panel completely affirming the ITC softwood lumber injury remand determination, in which the ITC once again found that unfairly traded Canadian softwood imports harm U.S. producers and workers," said Zoltan van Heyningen , Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition.

The ITC addressed all of the issues identified by the NAFTA panel and again unanimously found that the U.S. industry was materially injured in a 5-0 remand determination issued December 2019. The NAFTA panel has now affirmed the ITC's remand determination.

"The U.S. Lumber Coalition fully supports the enforcement of America's trade laws. The evidence presented to the ITC was clear - the massive subsidies that the Canadian government provides to its lumber industry and the dumping of lumber products into the U.S. market by Canadian companies cause real harm to U.S. producers and workers," said U.S. Lumber Coalition Co-Chair and Co-President of Pleasant River Lumber Company, Jason Brochu .

"Now that the NAFTA panel has affirmed the ITC determination, the U.S. lumber industry, and the 350,000 hardworking men and women who support it, will continue to have the chance to compete fairly. We applaud the U.S. government for its vigorous defense of the ITC's unanimous injury determination," concluded Brochu.

About the U.S. Lumber Coalition The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers from around the country, joined by their employees, and woodland owners, working to address Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. Our goal is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community, and effectively address Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices, including its gross underpricing of timber. For more information, please visit the Coalition's website at www.uslumbercoalition.org.